TITUSVILLE, Fla. — A project is underway to repair damage from Hurricane Irma and ward off future storms in Brevard County.

The project would protect the local waterways that Jim Holechko likes to use when he visits family in Titusville.

He couldn’t resist grabbing his fishing pole on a beautiful Florida Friday.

“Nice weather, had to get out of the house,” he said.

His catch Friday was consistently pufferfish from his spot underneath the Max Brewer Bridge.

But to the east, the fishing is not so desirable. Hurricane Irma did significant damage to the shoreline in this area.

There’s erosion, and a washed away roadway caused by the storm.

Brevard County now has a multi-faceted project to restore and protect the shoreline.

It involves stopping and reversing erosion, making the area more storm resilient, and expanding habitats for manatees, horseshoe crabs, fish and other wildlife.

Part of the project is a first line of defense using concrete structures just off the shore.

They’re called Wave Attenuation Devices, and dozens of them are being installed in the water to act as a breakwater reef.

The lagoon’s width allows waves to grow larger, powered by strong winds during hurricanes. Officials say the WADS will act as a buffer and reduce wave heights up to 90%.

The project also includes seagrass restoration, which is food vital for the lagoon’s ecosystem.

More seagrass will grow around the wads and also provide a buffer for the shoreline.

In the past, engineers installed rocky riprap, used to protect the shore. But it kept people from getting close to the water to enjoy it.

The wads are expected to be so effective in wave reduction, the riprap is no longer needed and native species of plants and stretches of sand will take its place.

Holechko said he’s hoping to reap the benefits of a new artificial reef.

“If it provides cover for better fishing, I’m all for that,” he said.

The $4 million project is expected to wrap up at the end of May.